Support That Starts With the Child or Young person
If your child is on an EOTAS pathway, you may already have been through a lot.
Meetings. Reports. Uncertainty. Worry. Trying to explain what your child needs and hoping the next step feels right.
At BHVA, we offer creative, person-centred EOTAS support for children and young people with EHCPs, SEND or SEMH needs in Kettering and Northamptonshire.
Our work starts with the child or young person in front of us.
Not a fixed timetable.
Not a one-size-fits-all model.
Not pressure to be ready before they are.
We use creativity to help children and young people feel safe enough to begin, build trust, access learning, communicate needs and take small steps towards confidence, connection and progress
For parents, carers and professionals supporting children and young people on an EOTAS pathway.
Creative EOTAS provision linked to EHCP outcomes
Support for SEND, SEMH and neurodivergent young people
AQA Unit Awards available where suitable
Progress reporting for parents, carers and professionals
What does EOTAS mean?
EOTAS stands for Education Other Than At School.
It is usually used when a child or young person has an EHCP and their education needs to happen outside of a traditional school setting either fully or partly.
For families, this can feel like lot to hold.
You may be trying to understand what support is possible, what will meet your child's needs, and how their education can continue in a way that feels safe, realistic and meaningful.
BHVA can be part of an EOTAS package by offering creative, personalised provision that supports learning, confidence, communication, emotional development and EHCP outcomes.
IN SIMPLE TERMS
EOTAS means education is planned differently because the usual school route is not currently the right fit.
BHVA supports this through creative provision built around the child or young person.
When school is not working in the usual way
Some children and young people need a different starting point.
They may not be ready for a busy classroom.
They may find communication difficult.
The may feel anxious overwhelmed or disconnected from learning.
They may need time to build trust before they can engage.
They may need support that feels less direct, less pressured and more personal.
At BHVA, creative work becomes the starting point.
Through music, art, drama, movement, voice, digital work and mentoring-style support, children and young people can begin to express themselves make choices, build confidence and reconnect with learning in a way that feels possible.
Progress does not always look big from the outside.
Sometimes progress is walking into the room.
Sometimes it is staying for the full session.
Sometimes it is making a choice.
Sometimes it is saying what they need.
Sometimes it is being near another person and feeling safe.
Those moments matter.
Who is EOTAS support for?
BHVA's EOTAS provision can support children and young people from Reception to post-16 who are already on, or being considered for, an EOTAS pathway.
This may include children and young people who need support with:
Learning and communication needs
EHCP
SEND needs
Neurodivergence
Communication differences
Sensory needs
Emotional and social needs
SEMH needs
Anxiety around school or learning
Social isolation
Low confidence
Emotional regulation needs
A different kind of setting
A need for a smaller, calmer space
A need to build trust with adults
A need for a personalised starting point
A need to take small steps back into learning
A need for support that feels less pressured
This is not a checklist your child has to "fit".
It is a starting point for understanding what they may need, what feels difficult at the moment, and what kind of creative support could help them move forward.
What could this help your child build?
EOTAS support at BHVA is built around the child or young person's needs, interests, EHCP outcomes and current starting point.
The creative activity is not just the activity.
It is the route into confidence, communication, learning, expression and progress.
Some children and young people may work through creative projects. Others may also build towards awards, graded pathways or qualifications where this is suitable.
Creative Mentoring
Creative mentoring can help a child or young person explore thoughts, feelings, choices and communication without everything needs to happen through direct conversation.
It can support trust, confidence, emotional awareness and self-expression.
Music and Music Production
Music can give a child or young person a way to focus, create, express themselves and feel proud of something they have made.
This may include rhythm, songwriting, instruments, voice work, GarageBand or digital music production.
Drama & Storytelling
Drama can help children and young people explore communication, social understanding, confidence and expression through character, story role play and creative choices.
It can create distance from difficult feelings while still allowing important work to happen.
Art and Digital Art
Art can offer a quieter route into expression, reflection and ownership.
This may include drawing, painting, design, photography digital art, animation or project-based creative work.
Dance and Movement
Movement can help children and young people notice their body, release energy, develop coordination and explore expression without relying o only on words.
It can support confidence, regulation and body awareness.
Voice Work
Voice work can help a child or young person explore how they communicate, how they use their voice and how they can express needs, ideas and feeling in a supported way.
Preparation for Adulthood
For older children and young people, EOTAS support may also include Preparation for Adulthood.
This can support independence, communication, decision-making, community engagement, confidence, self-awareness and the skills needed for life beyond school.
This can be woven into creative sessions or planned as a specific part of the provision.
AQA Unit Awards
Where suitable, children and young people may be able to work towards AQA Unit Awards.
These can provide flexible evidence of progress, achievement and skill development in a way that can be adapted to the young person.
LAMDA
For children and young people interested in drama, speaking, communication or performance, LAMDA may offer a structured pathway to build confidence and recognise progress.
This would only be explored where it feels appropriate and supportive.
Graded Pathways
Some young people may be ready to work towards graded exams or structured creative goals in areas such as music, voice, drama or performance.
This can give them something clear to work towards and celebrate.
Level 2 Music
For older young people, BHVA may be able to explore Level 2 Music as a longer-term pathway.
This can support creative learning, music skills and qualification-based progress where it fits the young person's needs and readiness.
What happens in an EOTAS session?
Most EOTAS provision at BHVA starts as 1:1 support and usually takes place weekly during term time at BHVA Studios.
Each session is shaped around he child or young person in front of us, but the structure may include:
Check in
A calm start to notice how the child or young person is arriving that day.
Set the focus
A clear, manageable focus so they know what the session is about.
Creative work
Music, art, drama, movement, voice, digital work or mentoring-style activity linked to their interests and outcomes.
Choice and support
Space to make choices, communicate needs and work at a pace that feels possible.
Reflection
A gentle look at what worked, what felt difficult and what could happen next.
Next step
A clear ending so the child or young person knows what to expect next time.
We do not expect every child or young person to arrive ready to talk, create or engage straight away.
Sometimes the first step is simply helping them feel safe enough to begin.
EOTAS outcomes we can support
BHVA cans support progress towards EHCP outcomes and wider personal development.
The aim is not to rush the child or young person.
The aim is to create the right conditions for progress to become possible.
Depending on the child or young person, EOTAS provision may support:
Re-engaging with learning
Building confidence
Developing communication
Exploring emotions safely
Building trust with others
Developing social skills
Increasing independence
Creating routine and consistency
Developing creative skills
Supporting preparation for adulthood
Working towards AQA Unit Awards
Feeling safe enough to try
Helping parents, carers and professionals understand progress
Progress can also be shared through written updates and reports linked to agreed outcomes, including EHCP outcomes where appropriate.
How to start an EOTAS referral
We keep the referral process as clear as possible
If you are referring specifically for Connect Group, please use the separate Youth Group Referral form so we can review group suitability, safeguarding and readiness for supported interaction.
1. Start the referral
A parent, carer, EHCP caseworker, school or professional completes the EOTAS referral form.
2. Share key information
We ask for the EHCP and any important safeguarding, risk, medical or professional information.
3. We review the information
We look at the child or young person's needs, interests, outcomes and current situation.
4. Suitability conversation
Where needed, we arrange a conversation with the parent/carer, young person or professional involved.
5. Proposal
If BHVA is suitable, we write a bespoke proposal outlining the suggested provisions outcomes and support.
6. Provision begins
Once provision is agreed sessions begin and progress can be reviewed.
When 1:1 support begins to grow into connection
Some children and young people accessing EOTAS may also benefit from Connect Group.
Connect Group is BHVA's small creative youth group for children and young people who need support with communication, confidence, social skills and peer interaction.
It may be suitable as:
Part of an EOTAS package
A next step after 1:1 support
A way to practise social communication in a small, supported setting
A bridge towards wider group work, community involvement or learning
Not every child or young person will be ready for group work straight away.
That is okay.
We can explore whether Connect Group is part of the referral or suitability conversation.
Is BHVA the right fit?
Before provision begins, we need to understand whether BHVA is the right environment for the child or young person.
This matters.
For EOTAS support to work well, your child needs to feel safe enough to begin building trust with us.
We listen first
We want to understand needs, interests and what helps them feel safe.
We check fit
Suitability is about making sure the environment feels right.
We plan carefully
We review key info before sessions.
Before provision begins, we need to understand whether BHVA is the right environment for the child or young person.
This matters.
For EOTAS support to work well, your child needs to feel safe enough to begin building trust with us. Parents, carers and professionals also need to feel confident that the provision matches the child or young person's needs.
There may be times when BHVA is not the right fit, or where more information is needed before we can make a decision.
Provision may depend on:
The child or young person's needs
EHCP outcomes
Safeguarding information
Risk assessments
Medical information
Staffing availability
Whether the child or young person feels comfortable with us
Whether group work or peer interaction is appropriate
If a child or young person may be working near or alongside other young people, we will need reliant safeguarding and risk information before this can happen.
Not ready to complete a full referral yet?
You can book a suitability conversation first
Why families choose BHVA for EOTAS support
BHVA works with children, young people and families who need something more personalised, more creative and more human.
Our team brings together creative arts practice, education, mentoring-style support, SEND experience and person-centred provision.
We support children and young people through small steps trusted relationships and creative work that gives them a way to express themselves, build confidence and feel seen.
Creative, person-centred provision
Support is built around the child or young person's needs, interests and outcomes.
Linked to EHCP outcomes
Where appropriate provision can support and report against agreed EHCP outcomes.
Small-step progress
We recognise progress that may not always look big from the outside, but matters deeply to the child or young person.
AQA Unit Awards
Where suitable, children and young people can work towards AQA Unit Awards as evidence of achievement.
We do not believe every journey should look the same.
We start with the child or young person in front of us.
EOTAS Support FAQs
Does my child need an EHCP?
EOTAS is usually linked to an EHCP. If your child has an EHCP, we will ask to see it as part of the referral process.
Can parents refer directly?
Yes. Parents and cadres can start an EOTAS referral. If an EHCP caseworker, school, or professional is already involved, their details can also be included.
Where does provision take place?
EOTAS sessions usually take place at BHVA Studios.
Is provision 1:1 or group-based?
Most EOTAS provision starts as 1:1 support. Where appropriate, a child or young person may also access group opportunities such as Connect Group.
What information do you need?
We will usually ask for the EHCP, current needs, desired outcomes, safeguarding information, risk information, medical needs and any relevant professional reports.
What happens after I submit the form?
We review the information, arrange a suitability conversation if needed, and then write a bespoke proposal if BHVA is the right fit.
Can BHVA report on progress?
Yes. BHVA can provide progress updates linked to agreed outcomes, including EHCP outcomes where appropriate.
Can my child work towards awards?
Where suitable, children and young people may be able to work towards AQA Unit Awards.
Start with a conversation.
Build from there.
If your child or young person is on an EOTAS pathway and you are looking for creative, person-centred support, you can start a referral below.
We will ask for key information so we can understand their needs, outcomes and current situation.
If you are not sure whether BHVA is the right fit yet, you can book a suitability conversation first.
Beccy Hurrell Voice & Arts Limited is registered in England. Company No: 13263202. Registered office: 10 Kirby Street, Kettering, NN15 5GR